by Nikki Jacks
If what Evan said was true, that polyamory was prevalent in Silver Springs and people wouldn’t look twice at me dating three men openly, the least I could do was think about what the guys were proposing. Wait, what was I thinking? Jumping into one, let alone three, relationships was not part of my immediate plans.
I took a deep breath, and before I lost my nerve and screamed yes to what they were proposing, I added, “Not to mention the fact that I. Just. Moved. Here! I moved here so I could start a life without depending on my parents or anyone else. I am looking for some independence, and it’s kind of hard to do that dating three men. I’m not looking for any commitments or to tie myself down right now.”
Evan answered me, “I understand, Lotus. I think we all do. We aren’t asking you to jump into a huge commitment or anything permanent. What we are asking is to explore the attraction we each have to you. We want to keep this casual and fun. If down the line that changes, so be it. But for now, what’s a few lunches, maybe some dinners? If anything, we’ll be around to keep you company while you meet people and make friends with other women.”
Thinking about Maryn and how I missed her and our girls’ nights and knowing that I would beat myself up if I didn’t at least explore my attraction to the men, I sighed. I turned over the guys’ words in my brain looking for the loopholes when that inner voice that sounded just like Maryn reminded me that dating the three men, eyes wide open, was another way of asserting my independence.
I took a fortifying breath and met each of the guys’ eyes. “I don’t think I need a couple of days to think things over. I’ve made up my mind.”
Lance
Oh no! She didn’t really think about it. She’s going to tell us we’re crazy and to get out. Gods, please don’t let that happen!
Drake
That was so fast! She’s so hard to read, I can’t tell what she’s decided. I just know I can’t lose my mate. She’s mine, I can’t let her go!
Evan
I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous. Gods, please let her at least choose one of us. I’ll have to go back to the Fae Lands if she rejects me; there’s no way I can stay here knowing she’s here. At least in the Fae Lands, I can find somewhere remote to go crazy and fade away.
Lotus
“If what you say is true about people not looking at us crossways, then I’d be willing to give this a shot. We’d have to be open and honest about our feelings, though. I don’t want to split families and friends apart. It sounds a little crazy, but we could work out a schedule for our lunch dates and for the weekends. I think I’d like to keep weeknights very low key, like dinner in and that kind of stuff. I’m happy to cook once I get groceries and the rest of my things situated. Is that what you three were thinking?”
Three sets of eyes blinked owlishly at me. In my head, I could hear the crickets chirping to the silence that reigned in the room. The guys all looked at one another, and then Lance whooped and stepped over, scooping me up and started spinning.
“Oh yeah! She said yes!”
“Lance, put Lotus down before you make her sick.”
“Sorry, Lotus, I got a little caught up.”
“No, I’m pretty sure I’m the one who got caught up.”
Everyone bust out laughing at this.
“Well, now that we’ve discussed this, it might be best if we all get some sleep. It’s been a long day, and a lot has happened.”
I smiled at Evan’s thoughtful words. I was starting to get tired, and I really wanted a hot shower and to climb in that divine-looking bed he was letting me borrow.
“Thanks for all your help, guys. I really appreciate it.”
I stepped up to each of the guys and kissed them on the cheek. Evan’s cheek was ivory smooth, and as I drew back, I caught his scent. It was intoxicating and started a simmer in my core. Evan stepped to the door and pulled it open. He smiled at me as he stood, waiting for me to say goodbye to Drake and Lance.
Drake’s stubble was as fine and sensitizing as it had been weeks ago when his face had been buried between my thighs. I really had to stop that line of thinking! I was already wound up. Thankfully, I had some battery-powered help stashed in my backpack for the problem.
When Lance stepped up, I didn’t get a chance to kiss his cheek before he wrapped his arms around me, buried his face in my neck, and inhaled. I giggled at the feel of Lance’s coarser stubble tickling my neck. When I felt his purr, it shot straight to my clit and lit me up like the French Quarter during Mardi Gras. I wiggled free and kissed Lance’s cheek.
The guys, my guys, were lined up at the door. As I prepared to follow them downstairs, I remembered I wanted to ask Drake about the doors.
“Oh, Drake, do you think the owner of the building would mind if I had deadbolts installed on the door in the kitchen leading up here? I’d feel better knowin’ that these doors were secured during business hours and at night when I’m getting ready for bed.”
Drake replied, “Silver Springs isn’t that kind of town to worry about, but I’ll talk to your landlord. I don’t see there being a problem. I’ll get back with you in a couple days with an answer. For now, follow us downstairs. We’ll all check the front door to make sure it’s secure and then you can lock up behind us once we leave through the back door. I want you to make sure that you lock the door at the bottom of the stairs and this one.”
“You have our numbers, Lotus. If you feel nervous or unsure, call or text us. We’ll be here quickly. While Silver Springs has always been a quiet, safe place to live, there have been more humans and unknown supes moving here. You can’t be too careful, and we want you safe.” Lance’s obvious concern for my well-being was touching.
I rolled my eyes at the guys’ statements. “I’m obviously going to lock up, guys. I am also obviously conscious of my security, hence my questions about installing deadbolts.”
“Can’t you just set some wards to protect yourself?”
Lance’s perfectly reasonable question caused me to realize that I hadn’t shared much about myself with the guys, and I might need to do so if we were going to be in relationships with one another. But that wasn’t happening tonight.
I wouldn’t see the pity in their eyes, and I couldn’t stand to hear or answer their questions about what I could and couldn’t do. So, I took a deep breath and lied to the guys. Well, to Lance and Drake. I’m sure Evan had figured out I didn’t have a whole lot of magical training after my confessions of yesterday.
“I could, but I don’t like to use my power if I don’t really have to. Besides, if a ward can be created, someone out there in the world can take it down. Sometimes mundane ways are better.”
Lance nodded his head thoughtfully while Evan eyed me with a measure of skepticism in his eyes. I blushed and looked at the floor.
“Thanks again, guys. Let’s get things locked up, and then I’m for a shower and bed.”
We trooped downstairs, and I made sure everything was locked up tight after they left. Once I’d locked the downstairs door and started up to my apartment, I let thoughts of Marlon invade my mind. I was determined to not let myself live in fear. I’d gotten out with no one the wiser. I headed for the shower, hoping I had a large water heater and good water pressure.
14
Lotus
Turned out that the apartment had a great water heater, and the water pressure was divine. By the time I stepped out of the shower, I was feeling relaxed and ready to fall into bed. When I got to my room, I stopped and admired the work of art Evan had brought. I couldn’t believe that such stunning pieces were going to be used for me to sleep.
I made my way to the bed and sat down. The moan that escaped me couldn’t have been helped. The mattress was the perfect balance of soft and firm. My backside sunk into the bed, but the bed provided support for my back and hips. I let myself fall back and was instantly in love. It was going to be so hard to give this bed back to Evan.
I levered myself up and draped my robe over my bedroom do
or. I flipped off the bedroom light and climbed under the covers. Evan’s surprises hadn’t ceased, it seemed. The sheets he’d put on the bed were a nice, crisp cotton. The thread count was high, providing that lovely weight that spoke of quality and comfort. The comforter was down and weighted. It lay over my body like a lover.
As I lay there thinking about Evan, I remembered his scent, so rich and alluring as I’d kissed him goodbye. Remembering that combination of sun-warmed grass and citrus brought a resurgence of the arousal I’d felt earlier. And of course, there was no way I could be aroused and not think of Lance and his purr or Drake and his stubble.
Thoughts of Drake also made me remember the things he’d done to me in his office. I was definitely interested in a repeat performance, but maybe on a bed where I didn’t have to worry about being drilled off the surface.
I lay in my bed and watched the ambient light from outside my windows play on the crystals inlaid in the footboard. The greens reminded me of Evan’s eyes, so clear and sparkling. Thinking of Evan caused that melody to start up in my head again. Although, unlike other times when the melody had played in my head, this time brought a heat coursing through my body.
My nipples tightened, and I could feel the slickness between my thighs. There was no way I was sleeping in this state. Too wound up to get out of bed and dig through my backpack, I started running my hands up and down my stomach. I let my nails graze my stomach. With each pass, I moved a little higher and a little lower.
When my sweeps finally moved up over my breasts, I tweaked my nipples and gasped at how sensitive they were. I thought about Lance and his playfulness. I imagined he would love to play with my nipples, pinching and flicking them. With his culinary knowledge, I knew Lance would love to pour tasty liquids over parts of my body and lick them off as well.
I already knew Drake could use his tongue. Sweeping my fingers over my pelvis, I remembered how Drake had demanded my cream and gave me the most intense orgasms of my life. Drake’s rough possessiveness spoke to something in me. It set me off like I never knew I could go.
The thought of the fullness from Drake possessing my body inside and out had me moaning. I kept one hand at my breast stroking, scratching, and playing with my nipples. My other hand stroked my labia. Every so often, I would trail my nails over my petals.
My thoughts turned to Evan. Being older, it was hard to peg him, but I knew that Evan would be a considerate and skilled lover. There was no way he looked the way he did and didn’t have some experience. My ardor cooled a bit, thinking about any of my guys with another woman.
I banished those thoughts and refocused on how each of my guys made me feel. While I was nervous about dating three men and wanted to take the physical side of things slowly, that didn’t mean I couldn’t let my imagination run wild in the privacy of my bed.
I thought again of Evan’s eyes and the melody that played in my head when I was near him. That heat coursed through me. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I dipped a finger into my body to collect some of my arousal and started circling my clit. The feelings were intense and delicious.
I continued to circle my clit, applying more pressure. I could feel an orgasm building, but I was missing something. My core clenched around nothing. I knew I was missing the beautiful feeling of being filled with a thick cock. Using my fingers because I had nothing else, I raised my knees and plunged two fingers into my desperate body. Not as filling or thrilling as having a man between my thighs, but it was better than nothing.
I hated that it was an awkward angle to try and reach my G-spot on my own and maintain a constant rhythm on my clit. I used what little awareness I had left to make a mental note to keep my vibrator tucked under my pillow. There was no way I wouldn’t be using it frequently.
I set a quick pace in and out of my greedy body and used two fingers to rub furious circles on my clit. Before I knew what was happening, I erupted. My body clamped down on my fingers, and I started convulsing. I heard myself moaning and crying out, not worried about monitoring my volume.
I wrung every drop I could out of my orgasm and let my body start to come down. My head had a fuzzy, disconnected feeling, and I felt a pleasant hum along my body. With thoughts of the men who wanted me swirling in my head, I nestled further into the bed and drifted off.
15
Lotus
I woke to sunlight being diffused through the curtains Evan had hung the night before. I stretched and hummed to myself a bit. I’d slept soundly, although I couldn’t be shocked by that. The orgasm I’d had ensured a deep sleep was bound to happen.
I got up and found a pair of jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt to put on. I knew I should unpack my bags, but I wanted to go and poke around down in the shop. I’d glanced around as I’d come through yesterday and when Drake had first shown me the space, but I hadn’t really looked into all the corners and crevices. I wanted to be familiar with the entire place and start laying things out and preparing.
I was going to have to sit down with Lance and start thinking through what we were going to have on offer besides ice cream. I needed to order signs and stock, and, and, and… My mind stopped. It just stopped. It was pretty early. I hadn’t had coffee yet, and I was letting myself spiral as I started thinking about all the little details.
“All right, Lotus, first things first! Finish getting ready, and then get coffee. Once you have that, take it a step at a time.”
I brushed my teeth and ran a brush through my hair. I grabbed my ID and some cash from my backpack, along with the keys Drake had given me yesterday, and headed to my door. I unlocked the door and headed downstairs. Once I’d unlocked the bottom door, I debated going out the back and around the shop or just going through the front to get to Jewels Café faster. Deciding that caffeine was needed quickly, I opted for the front of the shop.
I walked through and kept my eyes facing forward. I’d get distracted and lose sight of my mission if I looked at anything. Once I reached the front door, I tried my keys until I got the right one. Making another mental note to color code the keys, I unlocked the door and stepped outside.
It was much colder than I was expecting and I wished I’d grabbed a coat. I hustled myself across to the café instead. A few minutes later, I was armed with a dark, tasty cup of goodness. While it wasn’t the chicory I was used to from home, it would satisfy.
I was just crossing the street and stepping onto the sidewalk when I noticed a sign I’d missed yesterday hanging on the awning.
“Coming Soon: Silver Springs Ice Cream Shop! Proud to serve Flying Horse Ice Cream!”
I didn’t know which of the guys had arranged for the sign, but all I could do was stare. This little sign telling the town that my shop was opening soon sent a thrill through me. I was delighted to see this coming together, but I was going to have to talk to the guys about doing things that pertained to my business without me.
“You know, you should close your mouth before you catch some bugs. Unless that’s what you want. But if that’s what you want, you should open wider and tilt your head back a little more.”
The odd statements brought me back ’round, and I looked toward the voice to see a dark-haired woman, who looked roughly my age, staring at me.
“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to catch bugs. I just didn’t notice the sign yesterday when we were moving things in, so it caught me by surprise. Oh, where are my manners? I’m Lotus, Lotus Culcannon. I just moved to Silver Springs, and this is going to be my shop.”
“I’m Igor.”
“Igor?”
“Yes, Igor. I live with Iris, who owns FFS. The floral store. If you have ice cream, are you going to have toppings?”
“Oh, sure! We’ll have house-made cones and bowls, cookies and brownies that you can put ice cream on or crumble on top, and macarons. We’ll do shakes, malts, and sodas. You know, the standards from an old-fashioned ice cream shop.”
“Oh, you should have candied house flies. Buttercup makes them for me, and they are mind-b
lowing. If those were on top of ice cream, they would be very tasty and I would like it. You should have the candied flies.”
“Well, that sure is a special request. I’ll have to see what I can do about that.”
“You should.”
“Well, thanks for talking to me, Igor, and for your suggestion. It’s good to know what people might want us to have in the shop.”
“Candied flies aren’t for people, they are for me. Buttercup only makes them for me, and if you have them, they should only be for me.”
I wasn’t sure if Igor was pulling a fast one on me or not, but in case she wasn’t, I wanted to make sure I wasn’t offending a potential customer before I’d even opened.
“I understand, Igor, I have treats that I love that I never want to share with friends either. I’ll look into the flies. And tell you what, if I’m able to work something out with Buttercup to supply me with the candied flies, I’ll give you your first order of ice cream with candied flies on the house. Sound good?”
“Oh, I like the sound of on the house. You have my flies, and I will come.”
With that, she walked away. That conversation was definitely the weirdest I’d ever had, but it takes all kinds of people to make the world go ’round. I hadn’t been able to tell what kind of supe Igor was, but I could feel the magic wafting off her.
I looked back at my shop and grinned. It was time to start planning.
16
Lotus
My first order of business was to open a task list. I started listing all the things I needed to do to get the shop ready. At the top of the list was talking with Lance about the menu and what he wanted to make. We would need to figure out the kitchen layout and order equipment for him. I needed a logo for the shop, and then a supplier to make cups and napkins with the logo printed on them. We needed tables and chairs for inside the shop and outside.